Compassion Concerning Healthcare

This post is from the Everyday Liturgy blog.

Compassion Concerning Healthcare: "

I went to the doctor yesterday for a routine phsyical. I was in the office for about 45 minutes and overheard two conversations between very stressed out, uninsured individuals trying to walk the desperate line between finances and health.

The first lady was very concerned and hovering over the office manager when I came in. She had had a routine physical and an EKG but was uninsured, so she was setting up an installment plan to pay for the two services. Two routine services.

The second lady called in and spoke with one of the doctors, very upset that her prescription had run out. The doctor said that they had strung out the daily prescription for as long as possible, and that since it had been a year to the date since her last visit she would have to come in and see the doctor. The scenario playing out was that the woman was taking a daily medication for some ailment, but she couldn't come in and incur the cost of all the additional services that would come along with a simple doctor visit (EKG, blood work, etc.).

My heart really went out to these people. It must be such a state of helplessness. I was wondering what I could do, and I thought support health care reform, but that is just kind of business as usual and simply pathetic. We cannot continue to try to legislate Christian action through secular politics.

So what can a Christian do?

"

Praying for the President to Die

This makes me angry and ashamed at the same time.


Tempe pastor reiterates wish for President Obama's death - Phoenix Arizona news, breaking news, local news, weather radar, traffic from ABC15 News | ABC15.com

Posted using ShareThis

Transform Your Pain

This is from Finding Rhythm, Zach Lind's blog. Think hard about this. I am.
Transform Your Pain: "

“Is your religion helping you to transform your pain? If it does not, it is junk religion. We all have pain—it’s the human situation, we all carry it in a big black bag behind us and it gets heavier as we get older: by betrayals, rejections, disappointments, and wounds that are inflicted along the way.

If we do not find some way to transform our pain, I can tell you with 100% certitude we will transmit it to those around us. We will create tension, negativity, suspicion, and fear wherever we go. Both Jesus and Buddha made it very clear to their followers that “life is suffering.” You cannot avoid it. It is no surprise that the central Christian logo became a naked, bleeding, suffering man. At the end of life, and probably early in life, too, the question is, “What do I do with this disappointment, with this absurdity, with this sadness?” Whoever teaches you how to transform your own suffering into compassion is a true spiritual authority. Whoever teaches you to project your doubt and fear onto Jews, Muslems, your family, heretics, gays, sinners, and foreigners, or even to turn it against yourself (guilt and shame) has no spiritual authority. Yet these very people have often preached from authoritative pulpits.”

– Richard Rohr, The Authority of Those Who Have Suffered

"

To-Do Tattoos

Hmmm...I wonder if this would help Tyler remember his homework or chores??

To-Do Tattoos: "

I can’t remember where I first saw these, but the “To-Do Tattoo” caught my attention as a great way to help kids remember things. The temporary tattoos in the kit seem a bit unnecessary, but the skin-safe gel pen is a hit in my book.

Sure, you could easily create a digital list or a list on a sheet of paper, but both run the risk of being lost. This way, you can be sure your child makes it wherever he needs to go with everything on his list.

It’s novel, and I like when organizing can be fun.

"

Credo: Triune God

Great post from pomomusings... The Trinity has always been a mystery. But then again, God is SUPPOSED to be beyond our understanding. I'll be teaching on this in youth group as part of our "BIG Truths" study. It will probably then make it to a sermon in The Refuge.



Credo: Triune God: "

This post is part of the Credo Blog Series. For some basic information about the series, go here. Photo Credit.

I believe that God is three persons in one substance. Within the trinity exists the perfect and holy love communion between God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. The trinity is a perfect, three-in-one relationship between the three distinct persons of God. The three persons in the trinity are unified together by the same goal: to do the work of Christ and to bring people into relationship with God. They are diverse from each other, but are all completely equal. There is no hierarchy between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit within the trinity.

Someone asked in the first Credo post on God why I didn’t refer to Jesus or the Trinity? Well – I could have been snarky and say something like, “Well – since the BIBLE never uses the word “Trinity” – why should I in my Credo? But it’s really just because I’m going through my Credo according to the way I split up the topics up when I made the Credo in 2000. However, I don’t know that one can really talk about God without talking about God’s relational nature and mutual indwelling (or, one of everyone’s favorite seminary words: interpenetration – snicker snicker…) of the other parts of the Godhead.

Now, I don’t feel like getting into any intensely philosophical debate and start throwing around words like homoousious or anything – but I do still connect with what I wrote in the second sentence. “Within the trinity exists the perfect and holy love and communion.” Through the Triune God, we know humanity is called to be in relationship with other humans. While there are many ways in which people talk about the imago Dei (image of God) – one of the primary ways I see that we are made in God’s image is that we are created to be relational. The community and relationality that exists in the Triune God has to be central to our understanding of both who God is and who we have been created to become.

The one line that I would challenge my 20-yr old self on is where I define what the goal of the Triune God is: “to do the work of Christ and to bring people into relationship with God.” I’m sure this is no surprise, but I don’t think I would want to “box” in the Triune God that much – to say that “These are the two goals of God.” Certainly the Triune God does continue on the work of Christ and draws people into relationship with Godself, but there is so much more than God is up to in this world, I wouldn’t want to simply say “these are the two goals.”

Credo 2009: Triune God

The Triune God consists of God the Creator, God the Redeemer and God the Sustainer. Rather than existing in an hierarchical relationship together, the Triune God is a relational being – one which is dynamic and organic. The relationship is best described as that of a 3-person dance (perichoresis). The relationality between the members of the Triune God gives humanity one of its greatest clues to what being created in the imago dei truly means – to be in relationship with others and with God Godself. Again, as with God, I don’t want to limit the ways in which the Triune God works in the world through Godself, God’s Spirit and others in the world. There is far more about the nature of the Triune God than I will ever know or understand – and that’s a good place to be, I think.

What do you think? What did I leave out?

Related posts:

1. Credo: God
2. Introducing the Credo Blog Series

"

Life in a cold climate

I found this great post on Mark Berry's blog.

Life in a cold climate: "

Is 'Church' like living in a cold climate? Odd question to ask during the summer I suppose but the more time I spend outside of 'Church' the more it looks like a bunch of people trying to survive in sub-zero temperatures... we huddle together for protection, we surround ourselves with layer upon layer of insulation from the climate (culture) around us and pray for Summer... we pull our lifeblood back from the extremities into the centre spending more and more time at this meeting or that, this group or gathering or that... I know many good Christians whose whole life is lived in 'Church', whose diary is jammed with 'Church' events (the workplace being the only exception) and whose social life is spent entirely with 'Church' people (families often the only exception) trouble is it seems to me that living like this means sooner or later the extremities will die and ultimately it is not the way to survive... some Christians can't stand the waiting around and the self preoccupation and head off into the cold regardless of the outcome... some seem able to take the risk and acclimatise, adapt, so that they can survive and even flourish... though perhaps in a new way! I want to be hopeful, I really do, maybe I'm just the type who can't stand standing around in a huddle facing in with my back to the weather (like those penguins do on 'March of the Penguins'!) I'm not saying I have the answer, not even saying I know how to survive just that I'm not sure 'survival' is enough or worth it in it's own right... I guess I'm more of a 'blaze (or freeze) of glory' type! My Rural Dean said at the interview for my post that the role should be 'meeting light and relationship heavy' I guess that's part of the reason I'm here in Telford and why at this moment I'm more than happy being outside 'Church'.... with my face, not my back to the storm!

Technorati Tags: Christianity: Church: Community: Emerging Church: Fresh Expressions: Missional: safespace

"

Sunday August 16, 2009

Well, I again won't be preaching in the Refuge this Sunday. But I will be in Tucson. In fact, I will be on the Catalina UMC campus. Pastor Ed and I are switching places this Sunday: he is preaching in the Refuge, and I am preaching in the sanctuary (and the chapel at 8:15 also). This is always fun for us and a change of pace. AND we don't have to prepare a new sermon!
Ed is preaching in the hall on Peter's Prayer in Matthew 14.22-32.
I will be repeating (with embellishments!) my sermon on Mark 3.1-6: To Fail to Do Good Is to Do Evil.

Sunday August 9, 2009

Well, this week you get to hear the message that goes with the notes that were in the bulletin last week! Yes, this means that the inside of this week's bulletin is pretty much the same as last week's--but I did pull the cartoon. I figured most of you would remember it.
This week we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark with Mark 8.27-37. I preached on a parallel passage in Matthew a couple of months ago. Jesus and his disciples are traveling and Jesus asks them, "Who do people say that I am?". Then he asks them, "Who do you say that I am?". Then, Jesus tells them about his impending execution. Peter confronts him and then Jesus talks about what it takes to be his disciple--to really follow him.
The worship bulletin is here.
This Sunday, we will also have communion in the Refuge, since we missed it last Sunday.

What a Month!

I know I haven't blogged much lately (which kind of defeats the purpose of a blog, doesn't it?), but I will return in another week or so.
The first week of July, I was on our high school missions trip with Center for Student Missions in inner city Los Angeles. It was one of our BEST missions trips ever! The work projects were meaningful, the youth made connections with people, we learned to see people in need as PEOPLE, and we worked very well together with little drama and had a great affirmation time on the beach on Thursday night. Photos are at http://foxyurl.com/ots .
This last week, I had double duty: my sister Becky and her husband were in town, and we had VBS at Catalina. We had a great visit and got to do a lot of fun stuff! My job each year is recreation, which can be a challenge depending on the size of the group in each class and the age of the kids. This year it went pretty well, mostly due to the fact that I kept good records (well, better, at least) last year about what activities I did. I pretty much worked off last year's list with a couple of additions.
Now, I am on vacation! We are going camping in the White Mountains for a few days. We are all prepared for the inaugural Jones family camping trip! I've been camping with the youth group a few times, but this is a first as a family unit (minus my hard-working, two-job-holding, paying-her-own-bills daughter).
I will be back in the saddle on Sunday, July 26 (that's right--I've somehow got to get a sermon and the bulletin done while I'm on vacation!).

Sunday, July 5, 2009

I will be in inner city Los Angeles with our high school youth on our missions trip this Sunday. We will be serving with Center for Student Missions. Seth will be preaching. The worship bulletin is here. You can get updates about our trip at www.facebook.com/richardleejones.

Sunday June 28, 2009

This Sunday, we continue our studies in Mark, this week we consider Mark 5.1-20, the story of the demon-possessed man (called "Legion") living in Gergesa. Here is a map that will show you where this happened. You will notice it is diagonally across the Sea of Galilee from Capernaum, Jesus' adopted hometown.
Speaking of maps, there are a couple more here and here. These highlight the area called The Decapolis ("Ten Cities"), which is where this story happened, and it is where the man formerly known as Legion was commissioned to spread the Gospel by Jesus.
The name "Legion" is not the man's name. When Jesus asked his name, the man responded, "My name is Legion; for we are many." Legion was the name of a Roman military group (we would say battalion or company)--the basic unit of the Roman army. A legion consisted of thousands of soldiers, cavalry, and support personnel.
Notice the "symptoms" Legion exhibited: he was isolated, his life was out of control, he was not at peace, he was self-destructive, and he was fragmented. Does this sound like anyone you know? Does this sound like YOU? If there was hope for Legion, there is hope for you. When did his demons leave him? When he came to Jesus. Where was he inexplicably drawn (like a moth to a flame)? To Jesus. I think his healing was not so much the absence of the demons as it was the presence of Jesus.

The man was conflicted about Jesus. He was drawn to Jesus urgently, but he was also afraid of Jesus. I think he was afraid of Jesus for the same reason that the people in the city were: Jesus brought change. This man mirrors our attitudes: we know we need help; we know we need change; we know we need Jesus in our lives; but we avoid him. We are often [usually] content to live with our pain and struggles than to risk change by going to Jesus.

What do we see in this story?
We see the human condition.

We see the healing power of Jesus.

We see the power of a changed life.

We see the purpose of God: to advance his kingdom.

How do I deal with my demons?

I must come to Jesus just as I am.

I must come to Jesus with all that I am.

I must come to Jesus in surrender.

Spend time meditating on the words of Jesus in Revelation 3.20: "Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to you and eat with you, and you with me.

When considering this story, the poem Crazy Bill: The Gerasene Demoniac Revisited by Tim Melton is very much worth reading.

Read this story in Mark 5. Think about what it means. Think about where you find yourself in this story.

The worship bulletin for Sunday is here.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

This Sunday is Father's Day. It is a little sad for me that my daughter Bethany has to work 12-5, so she will miss the traditional Father's Day lunch. She will come over for games and festivities after she gets off work.
This Sunday we continue our study in Mark, with Mark 4.1-20, the Parable of the Sower. Jesus often told parables--stories with a spiritual lesson behind them. This is one of those stories.
The worship bulletin is here.
In this passage, the people listening did not understand the point of his story. In order to explain why he spoke in parables, Jesus quotes from Isaiah 6.9-10:
And he said, “Go and say to this people: ‘Keep listening, but do not comprehend; keep looking, but do not understand.’ Make the mind of this people dull, and stop their ears, and shut their eyes, so that they may not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and comprehend with their minds, and turn and be healed.” ¹⁰
Bible scholars point out that in Hebrew literature, consequence is often portrayed as purpose. In other words, God did not want the people to not understand his word, he was pointing out to Isaiah that the people WOULD misunderstand his message. Jesus, in quoting this passage, is saying that just as the people in Isaiah's day misunderstood his message, so the crowds misunderstood Jesus' message. But Jesus explained it to his disciples. Why? Why explain it to the disciples and not everyone? It seems that to really understand what Jesus is saying, you need to commit to being a follower first. It's sort of like in The Matrix when Morpheus promises Neo that he will have the answers he is seeking if he takes the blue pill(is it the blue pill?), and if not, he can just go on with life as is.
Why does it take a conscious choice? Why does it take effort? v11 “To you has been given the secret..." Why? Because they had left all to follow him. They had demonstrated their dedication. They had made the effort. Are you a casual follower? Or a committed disciple? Commitment is more important than comprehension. You can't wait until you understand everything and have all your questions answered. This makes the prayer "Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief." sound a lot better.

I Followed the Crowd

A few days ago Twitter was all-a-twitter with people rejoicing that they got their new Facebook urls. I didn't even know what they were talking about. I did know that it is a weakness (maybe a strength, depending on how much you like your privacy) that you cannot view someone's Facebook unless YOU sign up for Facebook. Now you can. Facebook allows you to pick your url and then anyone can type in the address and go to your Facebook.
Mine is http://www.facebook.com/richardleejones

I'm Back!

Sorry I've been away for so long! Very busy times!

Sunday, May 31, 2009

This Sunday is Pentecost. Click on this link to check out the worship bulletin. It's got an article about Pentecost.

This is also Confirmation Sunday at Catalina. Seth will be preaching so I can participate in the confirmation service (in the sanctuary at 11am). I will be around Sunday, but Seth is doing the heavy lifting! We have three confirmands this year: Andrew Hoskinson, Chris Nellett, and Lauren Melcher. I plan to bring them over to the Refuge to introduce them after they are confirmed.

BUT THE BIG NEWS THIS WEEK IS THE CORNERSTONE CONCERT after the 11am service. It will kick off around 12:15. Don't miss it!

This is an email I received today from the Save Darfur Coalition. I responded. You should, too.

*****************************
Make sure the Obama administration will hold Sudan accountable if necessary.

Khartoum must know they have a choice between a real peace process and real consequences.

Sen. Kerry: hold a hearing on Sudan to make sure President Obama has a plan.
http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/kerryhearingfb/i8kbg3ura7xmn5i3?

*****************************

Dear Richard,

Sudan's Bashir doesn't think there are consequences for not committing to peace - and so he's growing bolder by the day, even scuttling a peace conference for Darfuri civilian leaders earlier this month.

But the people of Darfur can't wait for peace. We have to make sure the President takes the lead in creating an opportunity for peace.

Two weeks ago, I met with Senator John Kerry to discuss his recent trip to Sudan. Today, we need his help.

Ask Senator Kerry to hold a hearing on Sudan and make sure the administration sets forth a bold agenda for bringing peace to Darfur and all of Sudan.
http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/kerryhearingfb/i8kbg3ura7xmn5i3?

The path to progress for peace is clear. It lies in offering Khartoum a choice: behind Door One, restoring aid groups and committing to the peace process which would lead to improved relations. Behind Door Two: continued obstruction which would lead to real and meaningful consequences.

Months after Sudan expelled 13 vital aid groups from the country, the government of Sudan has still not been confronted with this choice.

That's where the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee comes in. The committee should call on the Obama administration to adopt a policy that combines incentives for peace with consequences for continued obstruction and violence.

We've set a goal of sending at least 50,000 messages to Senator Kerry and Ranking Member Richard Lugar by June 13 - one month since my May 13 meeting with Senator Kerry, and with plenty of time for him to schedule hearings in June. Please act today.

Tell Sens. Kerry and Lugar to demand the Obama administration outline its blueprint for peace in Sudan. http://action.savedarfur.org/campaign/kerryhearingfb/i8kbg3ura7xmn5i3?

Don't wait to send a message to Sens. Kerry and Lugar - they need to hear from you today. Thanks for your hard work.

My best,

Jerry Fowler
Save Darfur Coalition

Pew Research

One more gem from Internet Monk: this post is from guest poster Michael Bell.

Michael Bell: How To Stop The Hemorrhaging: A Follow Up To The Pew Forum Data

Grace is dangerous

Internet Monk (Michael Spencer) has done it again: he has written another excellent and thought-provoking article (some people would just refer to him as "provoking"). Over at Steve Brown's blog, read "Grace Is As Dangerous As Ever".

I remember a quote that claimed that Jesus never got in trouble for being too strict or too hard on anyone. No, the things that caught Jesus in trouble with the authorities were his mercies, his healings, his inclusions, his giving of grace to those who others thought were unworthy. When is the last time that you or I got criticized for being too gracious or merciful?

Sunday, May 24, 2009

This week I watched a great video online. It is Shaun Groves (a musician I have come to enjoy) sharing about Mark 1.14-15--that's right, our text from LAST SUNDAY! Shaun does a great job explaining about the GOOD NEWS of Jesus; much better than I did. Watch the video. Please. You can also download his song "Kingdom Come" for free here. I don't agree with everything Shaun says, but I agree with SO MUCH.

The worship bulletin for this Sunday is here.

This week, we discuss one of my favorite stories in the Bible. It is not a famous story, but to me it paints a wonderful picture of what our God is like. It is the story of the healing of the leper in Mark 1.40-45. I like the way the NIV reads better than the NRSV (the previous link).

Please read Internet Monk's article "What Was Jesus Like?". This article is REALLY GOOD, especially the part about grape kool-aid. I think it should be required reading for everyone who claims to be a Christian.

Well, there is much more to say, but I'm going to save it for Sunday!

Sunday, May 17, 2009

This week, we begin our study in the Gospel of Mark: the Shorter Life of Jesus. The worship bulletin is here, and has lots of introductory info.
Here is the format we will follow: we will focus on reading together a chapter of Mark each week. Then on Sunday, our study will center on one section of that chapter. We are not going to try to teach all of it, I will pick a passage (or sometimes two) from each chapter.
And I am not going to attach dates to our study. We may take time off for special occasions, or when I am not preaching. I have 18 sessions on the Gospel of Mark chosen, but it may take us 22-25 weeks to get through them. There is no hurry!
Each week, the bulletin will contain review/think-it-through questions and/or journaling ideas to deepen your study.
I would like to recommend two online study tools:
1-YOUVERSION online Bible. I recommend that you sign up (it's free!) and try it out. I may experiment with commenting on a chapter of Mark as we read it each week. You can check out my comments and--most importantly--add your own. You can search for richardleejones (my user name) and click to follow me so you can check out my comments.
2-EXAMEN.ME devotional website. You can click around and check out all the features. I think it's pretty good. It's also unique with its emphasis on your own reflection and prayer.

If you want to prepare for Sunday, take a look at Mark 1.1-20.

Sunday May 10, 2009

Well, this Sunday is Mother's Day. So, do your duty and have fun!
We will finish up our study arc we started on Easter. We discussed the Risen Christ, The Indwelling Christ, the Eternal Christ, and this week we conclude with Following Christ. Our Scripture is Matthew 16.13-26. The worship bulletin is here.
On this subject (vaguely), I read a great post by Michael Spencer over at internetmonk. This quote is one of many that stuck out to me:
This is where I’m surprised that the pundits commenting on this situation aren’t willing to connect the dots. A big reason that the average evangelical isn’t evangelistic is the focus on the issues and tactics of the culture war. According to the culture war advocates, “those unbelievers” are the enemies of Christians and the kind of Christian culture we believe we are supposed to fight for. Are atheists, gays, Democrats, progressives and non-evangelicals in America actually people evangelicals are looking at as potential Christians? Give me a break.

We can get sucked into thinking that our position on "culture wars" issues equals following Christ. WRONG. Following Christ is a lot harder than that, a lot trickier than that, and a lot more exciting (sometimes) than that.

Bishop Spong (who I agree with extremely rarely) said something good in an email newsletter I read today: "...for most people religion is not a search for truth, but a search for security." And that is how it often is. We seek safety and security from God, when Jesus is calling us to something different.

Sunday May 3, 2009

This Sunday, we consider the second of our series of studies loosely dealing with the implications of Easter. If Jesus is the Risen Christ, what does that mean? Two weeks ago, we examined Jesus as The Indwelling Christ. This week we will consider Jesus as The Eternal Christ.

I would recommend reading Frank Viola's post What's Wrong with Our Gospel? .

The Scriptures for this week are:
Genesis 2.1-7
Genesis 1.26-31
Genesis 2.18
Ephesians 1.3-13
Colossians 1.13-20

The worship bulletin is here.

Sunday April 26, 2009

I don't have much to say about this Sunday, mainly because I'm short on time this week, but also because I'm not preaching! We are privileged to have Dwight Withers as our guest this Sunday. Dwight did vocals with Cornerstone a few weeks ago, and he is returning as our preacher this week. I was originally scheduled to be out of town, but that changed. So, I will be hanging around Catalina looking for something to do Sunday!
Another big change is this: my son, Tyler (Cornerstone percussionist) will be doing our children's talk!
Worship bulletin is here.
Dwight's Scripture is John 17.1-3.

Sunday, April 19, 2009

This will be a different Sunday at the Refuge. We will have only ONE SERVICE: 11am. There will be no 9:30 service. We do this so we can participate in the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure each year. You can still sign up to be part of our team. Go here for info. The Race for the Cure is an awesome community event in Tucson, and it benefits a great cause.

If you want to catch up with us at the RACE, we meet around 7:45 at our regular location. If you face the stage at the amphitheater, we meet over by the trees directly to the left of the stage.

For worship, we begin a 3 (or more) week series that is really a VERY loose series of studies. I called Easter Sunday study "The Risen Christ" and this Sunday will be "The Indwelling Christ". I will not be preaching on April 26, but then on May 3 the theme will be "The Eternal Christ", and May 10 will be "Following the Living Christ". These topics all are sort of a "so what" about Easter: so what that Christ is living? How does that effect my life? How can I live in light of that? These are topics that I have been working through in my own spiritual journey recently.

The Scriptures for this week are:
John 14.15-18
John 15.1-17
John 16.7-8
Romans 8.9-11
Colossians 1.24-29

The worship bulletin is here.

The Meaning of Easter

There is usually much discussion in December about "the true meaning of Christmas", and there is not usually much discussion about the "true meaning of Easter". I think that is because Easter is very misunderstood. Christians are good when it comes to talking about the cross, but Easter turns into a muddle usually. Often the only real import given to Easter is that it demonstrates that God accepted Christ's sacrifice on the cross. In other words, the resurrection is a sort of "told you so" about the cross. I think there is MUCH MORE to it than that. This quote from NT Wright that I found on Mike DeVries' blog makes a good point about the resurrection.

As we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and its meaning for this world...

For them [first century Jews], the idea of "resurrection" had, up to that point been quite simple. It was, they would have said, what would happen to everyone at the end - when everyone got through the tunnel to the other side, if you like, or when the day finally dawned and the Old Time was abolished for ever. Only gradually, and particularly when they met Jesus, with his body fully alive, indeed, more alive than it had ever been, because it had been through death and out the other side - only gradually did the realize what had happened. In his death, Jesus had taken all the sin and death and shame and sorrow of the world upon himself, so that by letting it do its worst to him he had destroyed its power, which means that now there is nothing to stop the new creation coming into being. Jesus' resurrection body is the first bit of the new creation, the sign of the new world that is to come. In terms of Good Friday as the sixth day, and Holy Saturday as the seventh day, the day when God rested after creation, the day when Jesus rested after redemption, Easter Day is the eighth day, the first day of the new week. This isn't the end; it's the beginning.

[Tom Wright, Christians at the Cross: Finding Hope in the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus, pp. 76-77]

Prayer for Easter Sunday, April 12

Easter Sunday

Scripture for reflection: Mark 16:1-8

Reflection – Early in the Morning
The world is broken −
Darkened by the deeds of twisted hearts and vengeful hands.
The tears of God flood the earth and
Heart-break thunder roars in echo to the lightning.
The cry of ‘It is finished’ resounds across the hill
and funnels its way through the gates of the city wall.
‘It is finished,’ but it has only just begun.
Early in the morning, while mist lingers long,
Before the sun has chased the night away
Creation starts to sing, ‘The tomb is empty!’
Trees clap their hands, rivers gurgle with delight.
Birds chirp, ‘good news, good news!’
Redemptive creation has come to the world.

Prayer: Easter God,
I join today with others who praise you for the joyful message of resurrection. Thank
you for the unparalleled gift of Jesus, for the unquenchable love that you have
expressed through him. May I daily grow in knowledge of Jesus, the true Emperor
and Son of God. I also give thanks for the Lenten journey shared with you and
others. May the changes you have begun in me continue throughout my life. May the
kingdom you announced in Jesus continue to come nearer, through the movement
to overcome extreme poverty in our world. I pray that the money raised by Lent
Event will touch the lives of many in tangible and transformational ways. Amen.

For Holy Saturday

Consider the readings in Cheryl Lawrie's When Hope Goes to Hell.

And consider this prayer quoted from Jesus Creed blog (Scot McKnight):
O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the third day, and rise with him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prayer for Saturday, April 11

Day 40 : The ‘in between’ day

Scripture for reflection: Luke 23:50-56

Prayer: God of all,
I wonder if we jump too quickly from the cross to the resurrection? Do we forget
the Saturday of grief and confusion? Today I pray for all those who grieve. I pray for
all those who cannot see any end to their pain and grief. And I pray for those who
are struggling to hope for something better around the corner. May they all, may
we all, know your undying love for us. Amen.

Prayer for Friday, April 10

Day 39 : Good Friday

Scripture for reflection: Isaiah 52:13-53:12

Some time in your life, hope that you might see one starved man, the look
on his face when the bread finally arrives. Hope that you might have baked it
or bought it or even needed it for yourself. For that look on his face, for your
hands meeting his across a piece of bread, you might be willing to lose a lot,
or suffer a lot, or die a little, even. --Daniel Berrigan

Reflection – Good Friday
God is dead!!
The sky darkens –
Lightning strikes –
The earth trembles –
The curtain is torn –
Graves open –
Hearts break –
God weeps.
But be at peace,
Sunday is coming.

Prayer: God of transformation,
Through the crucifixion of Jesus, you transformed the cross. You took a symbol of
coercion and destructive power and changed it into a symbol of love and grace. I pray
for such transformation in my life and in the lives of all throughout the world. Amen.

This beautiful image is of Christ washing the disciples' feet during The Last Supper episode of his life, which took place on Thursday of Holy Week. Thanks to the Faith and Leadership blog for sharing this image with us.

Easter Sunday April 12, 2009

Well, Holy Week is here again. It's almost Easter again. This is a mixed bag for me. Working at a church, that means MUCH more work. There's the traditional Good Friday Hike with the youth and the Sunrise Service. So, Easter is a LLLOOOONNNNNGGGG day. Sort of like Christmas Eve. Hmmm. I think I see a pattern here.

By the way, check this post at Palabras de Deb. The photos are beautiful, but the story is also pretty interesting. The plants were planted almost 15 years ago and the yard has been neglected. Yet the flowers come up in the spring. Does this tell us something about the inevitability of resurrection?

This image from the stations of the cross is awesome. It is from Cheryl Lawrie's blog.

Christine Sine makes some thought-provoking comments about NT Wright's thoughts on the resurrection:
In his recent book Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church, NT Wright asserts that Christianity’s most distinctive idea is bodily resurrection. After his resurrection, Jesus was a flesh and blood person and Wright contends that we will be too. He further argues that if we truly believe this than it will impact the way we live our lives now. If God intends to renew all of creation and all of life in order to bring a new kingdom of love and wholeness into being - a process already begun in the resurrection of Jesus - then our responsibility as Christians is to anticipate this renewal by working for hope and healing in today’s world. So how can we learn to live as wide-awake people, as Easter people?… In particular if Lent is a time to give things up, Easter ought to be a time to take things up…. If Calvary means putting to death things in your life that need killing off if you are to flourish as a Christian and as a truly human being, then Easter should mean planting, watering, and training up things in your life (personal and corporate) that ought to be blossoming, filling the garden with color and perfume and in due course bearing fruit” (Surprised by Hope p293)

The good news of the gospel is that we don’t need to wait to see this new world of God’s wholeness and love come into being. As NT Wright asserts, the point that all the gospels make is that : Jesus is risen, therefore God’s new world has begun. Jesus is risen, therefore Israel and the world have been redeemed. Jesus is risen, therefore his followers have a new job to do. And what is that new job? To bring the life of heaven to birth in actual, physical earthly reality.”

Christine also gives a good post explaining how Jesus spent 3 days in the tomb, when the crucifixion was on Friday, and the resurrection on Sunday. Check it out.

Easter worship at The Refuge will feature great music and what I think will be a meaningful message and meditation time. Join us at 9:30 or 11:00. The worship bulletin is here.

Cornerstone music from last Sunday (April 5, Palm/Passion Sunday) is here.

Prayer for Thursday, April 9

Day 38: Maundy Thursday : the arrest −

Scripture for reflection: John 18:1-14

Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ,
Thank you for bending your will and submitting to arrest in the Garden of
Gethsemane. You could have chosen to walk away but you didn’t. I offer my
thanks and praise for your willing and obedient sacrifice for the sake of all of
creation. Holy Spirit, be present in power in my life so that I too might be willing
to love the world that much. Amen.

Prayer for Wednesday, April 8

Day 37 : Prayer for the people of Mwandi, Zambia

Scripture for reflection: Psalm 139:13-18

Prayer: The warm love of people who care is one of your most precious gifts, great
God. In fragile years, when we are just beginning, that love forms us. We pray
for children where disease has taken the ones to whom they looked for love,
in whose cradling arms they were cherished, from whose eyes they learned to
smile. We are sad because that gap will never fill. Bring among them people
who value them, people who listen, attend and love. We remember the maturing
of your Son, and we ask you to provide support for young people to grow in
wisdom and stature, spirit and grace. We pray for the end of HIV/AIDS, the
knowledge to end it and care and thoughtfulness that honours those who live
with it. Where care reverts to grandmothers or grandfathers, uncles or aunts,
sisters or brothers, or others in the village, sustain them. You number every hair.
You notice every falling sparrow. So we ask again, notice those who fall or who
are in danger of falling. Make us and your church part of your noticing. Through
Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer for Tuesday, April 7

Day 36 : A battle between kingdoms

Scripture for reflection: Matthew 27:11-26

Prayer: God of forgiveness,
There are times in my life where I have the chance to choose Christ over the
‘Pilates’ of this world. Just as Jesus had the opportunity to bow to Caesar’s
representative, so I am tempted to bow to the ‘emperors’ of materialism. Forgive
me, holy God, for the times when I have failed to stand the test. Empower me to
stand fast in the future in the face of such temptation. Amen.

Prayer for Monday, April 6

Day 35 : Eyes to see and ears to hear

Scripture for reflection: Matthew 13:1-15

Prayer: God of Light,
By faith I have hope that your Kingdom will win the day. I believe that it is breaking
into this world all the time. Give me the eyes to see the signs of it. Give me the
ears to hear its sound. I want to rejoice in it and lift my voice in songs of praise.
May it break into my heart. I pray for the inner warmth of your Spirit. Amen.

Prayer for Sunday, April 5

6th Sunday : Palm Sunday - Who is this Jesus?

Scripture for reflection: Mark 15:1-39

Reflection – Announcing the Kingdom.
The King approaches –
Not on a stallion but on a donkey.
Not with battle cry but with tears.
So is announced the upside down kingdom,
the feast of fools, the banquet of the outcasts.
Let us not replace the crown of thorns with a wreath of empire.
Let us not replace the cross with a bejewelled throne.
The land of milk and honey will come.
It will be all-encompassing rather than oasis.
The wilderness will be flooded out by springs of living water.
Streams in the desert will blossom flowers that for too long
have been bent over in the withering glare of drought.
Hearts broken by shame and grief will beat healthily again,
and a smile will creep across the tear-stained face of the outcast.
Guns and mortars will be smelted into the tools of the garden.
Funeral dirge will turn to praise
and the bent and downtrodden will find themselves dancing.
Maranatha! – ‘Come O Lord’
May we speed the day.

Prayer for the Lent Event project : Zambia

Scripture for reflection: Matthew 9:35-38

The church must participate with energy and commitment in Africa’s
reconstruction and development. . . faithful to continuing the mission
of Christ, the church must also continue to raise the collective public
conscience about the ethical choices that lie at the heart of the current global
financial, trade and political systems.
--South African Council of Churches

Prayer: Even a cup of water offered in your name honours you, loving God. Even a
widow’s tiny gift, humbly given, receives your praise. Even a prayer privately
offered is upheld by you. We confess that in the face of overwhelming need, our
responses seem so miserly, so useless, so inadequate. Touch our spirits, we pray,
that the little we offer may reflect your generosity and be helpful for people. You
lavish your world with love. Trouble us with its unequal distribution. Some have too
much food while many die of hunger and thirst. Some have rooms to spare while
many shiver in the cold. Some have power and many have no voice. Overturn
this world. Establish your rule. And as we look to your coming in fullness, may
the deep bowels of our being be stirred with your compassion. When we grab
breakfast, catch lunch or dine out for dinner, connect us with those who lunch in
Mwandi in Zambia, for whom a simple meal means salvation. Bless those who
offer cups of water there, and those who fetch the water, those who provide
meals every day, and those who eat them. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer for Saturday, April 4

Day 34 : ‘Threading the needle’

Scripture for reflection: Luke 18:18-30

Prayer: Holy God,
Jesus taught us that to find real life we must die. Such death makes way for
new beginnings. You are the God of eternal new beginnings, the one who
transforms and recreates. Merciful God, show me those things that must
die in me, those things on which I must loosen my grip. Help me to be truly
honest with you and with myself about what it is that enslaves me. Help me to
experience your abundant life. Amen.

Prayer for Friday, April 3

Day 33 : People of hope

Scripture for reflection: Psalm 33

Prayer: Though we live in testing times O God, they are also times of opportunity.
I pray that in the midst of change and concern, I would be able to hang on
to hope. May I not be weighed down by those who proclaim a ‘doomsday’
message, but may I always seek opportunities to make this world a better
place. May I trust in your promise to bring new life and make all things new.
Grant me a hope-charged vision of the future. Amen.

Sunday April 5, 2009

This Sunday is Palm/Passion Sunday in the Christian church. Formerly, the Sunday before Easter was strictly Palm Sunday, but then a lot of churches did not offer formal Good Friday services, so on one week you had The Triumphal Entry (Palm Sunday) by Jesus into Jerusalem, and the next week you celebrated the resurrection, and the crucifixion was omitted. To remedy this without doing violence to the Holy Week chronology, a liturgy of the Passion (Christ's death) was added to the liturgy of the Palms.
In The Refuge this week, the children will march through waves palm branches, but our main emphasis will be on the crucifixion. We will offer experiential meditations around Christ's passion and the stations of the cross. There is some history of the stations of the cross here. The images we will use are local artist Ted DeGrazia's series called The Way of the Cross.
Our worship this week will be interactive, participatory, and experiential.
The worship bulletin is here.

Prayer for Thursday, April 2

Day 32 : Prayer for people of the Solomon Islands

Scripture for reflection: Isaiah 55:10-13

Wondrous God, with the guidance of your Spirit, the renewing gift of your Son
Jesus Christ and the abiding care of your parental love, your church in all places
is in the process of being born. We pray for the United Church in the Solomon
Islands and the Uniting Church in Australia that they may continue to grow
and develop in living out your love. You braid them among the strands of their
nations’ histories and cultures, to pray with and for those among whom they
live and to point people towards the life Jesus offers. Rid lands of unsustainable
timber-felling, toxic dumps and destructive mining. Reconcile diverse peoples to
draw forth from each other the richness of their cultures. Establish communities
that respect all people, especially those whose voice is weak. Build nations with
justice and mercy. Raise up leaders of integrity and character. And as you do
this, provide for such basic needs as health, training and financial support. We
look to you to draw us into your kingdom where creation is restored, people
cherished and your way upheld. Through Jesus Christ. Amen.

Prayer for Wednesday, April 1

Day 31 : Tilted in the right direction

Scripture for reflection: Galatians 5:16-25

Prayer: Eternal God,
I am conscious that my life hangs in the balance. The choices that I make
matter. Guide me to decisions that take me, and those in my care, in the
direction of your kingdom. Help me to live a life marked by the fruits of your
Spirit. May I mirror something of Jesus in the way I live my life. Amen.

Prayer for Tuesday, March 31

Day 30 : Finding life by losing it

Scripture for reflection: Matthew 16:21-28

Prayer: Lord Jesus,
I confess that at times I struggle to follow you. I find some of your teachings
difficult to apply. I find your call too challenging and I make excuses not to take
it seriously in some parts of my life. I live in a society that teaches me to put
myself first but you are always there, showing me another way. Like your first
disciples, I am often scratching my head and trying to work it out. Help me to
see the wisdom that lies in following you. Amen.